FOOD NEWS
Marianne Eaves Reinvents Kentucky Bourbon With Forbidden Launch
BY LENA BECK
Master distiller Marianne Eaves’ Forbidden drink is the first bourbon made from white corn and white winter wheat, and it recently debuted after about ten years of work.
Eaves carefully moderated every step of the development of Forbidden and embraced techniques atypical of bourbon production, such as fermentation at a low temperature.
Bourbon's roots place it firmly in the American South, and Forbidden is a new take on the regional spirit. Eaves says that doing things differently is key to her process.
"Total creativity involves a certain degree of rebellion. To be completely creative, I tend to do things that are a little bit forbidden," Eaves said in a press release.
The result is a bourbon with leading notes like vanilla and hazelnut. It is inspired by Southern cooking and has a distinct balance of light floral notes and a smooth, dark taste.
Forbidden also achieves its taste profile thanks to being aged in charred barrels and its unique blend of corn, wheat, and barley. The five-year-aged bourbon is 95.2 proof.
Eaves made the bourbon at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky. This first release of Forbidden will only be released in Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.